Coal-cleaner



(No Model.)

A. K. HILLS.

j I GOAL CLEANER. No. 474,045.. Patented May 3, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADDISON K. HILLS, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

COAL- -CLEAN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,045, dated May 3,1892. Application filed September 30, 1891. Serial No. 407,357. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADDISON K. Thus, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Erie, in the county of Erie and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMechanism for Separating Slate and Dirt from Coal; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,forming a part of this specification.

My invention consists in the mechanism for separating slate and dirtfrom coal, hereinafter set forth and explained, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved mechanism forseparating slate and dirt from coal. Fig. 2 is a like View of the same,showing steam connections therewith. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of aportion of my device.

' In the constructions of my invention shown in the drawings, in Fig.1 Ais a revolving screen of usual and ordinary construction, to which thematerial to be screened is supplied through aspout B, the material beingscreened falling into hoppers O O C, one for each size of the materialscreened, from which the material screened passes down inclined chutes DD D, the bottoms of these chutes being lined, preferably, with steelplates 12 or with other hard substance, except at the ends cl d d ofthese chutes, where the bottoms of the chutes are formed of chambers E EE, having holes e or slots 6' in the upper surfaces thereof, these holesor slots being inclined forward, so that the force of jets of airissuing therefrom is exerted upward and forward in the direction of theline of travel of the material passing down and outof the chutes D D D.These chambers E E E, I preferably supply with air under pressure-as,for example, from a convenient blower F by means of a pipe G, connectedtherewith.

In Fig. 2 I show the same construction of mechanism as I havehereinbefore described, except that I connect a steam-boiler I with thejet-chambers E, so that jets of steam can be used-in lieu of air-jets,as hereinbefore described, as I can use either steam or air jets withequal facility.

In operation as the material to be separated passes out of the ends 01the chutes and over the chambers at the ends thereof the force of thejets of air or steam used operates upon the lighter portions of thematerial to raise it and project it forward, so that it will pass overand outside of barriers K, while the heavier portions of the material,being less affected by the air or steam jets, will fall inside of thebarrier K, thus separating the lighter from the heavier material.

Having thus described my invention, so as to enable others to constructand operate the same, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States,

1. The combination, in a machine for separating slate and dirt fromcoal, of an inclined chute having its bottom lined with steel plates orother hard substance until near the discharge end thereof with a chamberhaving a sharply-inclined surface forming the bottom of said chute fromthe end of said lining to the discharge end of the chute, havingperforations or slots therein through which air or steam jets may beforced in an upward and forward direction, substantially as and forthepurpose set forth.

2. The combination, in a machine for separating slate and dirt fromcoal, of rotating screens, as A, hoppers, as O, and inclined chutes, asD, with chambers, as E, the surfaces of which are at a greaterinclination than the bottoms of the chutes, forming the bottoms of thedischarge ends of said chutes, having holes or slots in the uppersurfaces thereof through which jets of steam can be projected upward andforward toward the line of travel of the material passing down thechutes, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

ADDISON K. HILLS.

Witnesses:

WM. P. HAYES, O. J. STUEeEoN.

